ISLAMABAD, August 2 (IslamOnline) - Theft of a shoe believed to have belonged to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has created unrest throughout the country
while the police were still trying to determine the nature of the crime.
With more than a dozen people in custody connected with the
Incident, which took place at the historic mosque in the eastern city
of Lahore late Wednesday, July 31, 2002, the police were still not sure whether
the professional thieves took away the holy article for commercial
reasons or this was done by some radical Muslim.
Around 10 holy articles belonging to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have been kept
at a display center in the Badhsahi mosque of Lahore in a glass cabinet
since 1883 when these were discovered from an ancient fort near
Lahore. The sub-continent at that time was under the British rule so
these were handed over to the provincial administration who placed
these in this 17th century mosque for public display.
The holy articles were presented to the Mughal conqueror (Emir) Taimur
in 1402 by the Turkish ruler upon the latter’s invasion of Turkey.
These were shifted to the subcontinent from Turkey by a successor of
Taimur, Zaheer Ud Din Babar later
Theft of the holy shoe has triggered anger and fury in the country.
Hundreds formed a procession in Lahore and Rawalpindi to protest the theft. They demanded early arrest of the culprits and return of the holy article.
The Police on the other hand believe this was not a professional crime. According to the police investigation officer, there were three shoes belonging to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) lying in the same cabinet but only one was missing. "A radical Muslim may have taken it away and we hope that it will be
returned very soon" Inspector Omar Verdak, told IOL from Lahore on
the phone.
The police are interrogating ten people including the guards on duty
at the mosque, and some other suspected persons.
Lahore has been under British, Sikh and Hindu rule during the time
when these holy articles were publicly displayed at this mosque and
at a fort earlier but never any damage was caused.
